Will Bernard - Ancient Grains (June 25, 2021 Posi-Tone Records)

Will Bernard offers up a hearty meal of tastes and styles from his own harvest of ”Ancient Grains” on this 2021 album. With a modern jazz sensibility and elegantly lyrical compositional focus, the crux of this brilliantly evocative musical program remains focused upon the fingers and strings of the expressive guitarist himself. Meanwhile the masterful contributions of B-3 organist extraordinaire Sam Yahel and the explosive metrics of drummer Donald Edwards provide several melodic highlights in addition to the rhythmic support  necessary to keep the session deeply in the pocket.

Some of our fans may already be familiar with his earlier work, but we think now is definitely the time for a new generation to discover the bold guitar mastery of Will Bernard! To this end, we strongly believe a steady diet of “Ancient Grains,” with its balanced menu of straight ahead performances from the funky and soulful to the edgy and original, will surely leave jazz enthusiasts everywhere feeling better inside and excited for another serving!

1. Dry Land Tourist

2. Ancient Grains

3. Five Finger Discount

4. Pleasure Seekers

5. Stone Valley

6. Trilobite

7. Boo Boo's Birthday

8. Mazurka Tree

9. Temescal

10. Right As Rain

11. Wake Up Call

Will Bernard - guitar

Sam Yahel - organ

Donald Edwards - drums

Marc Free - producer

Nick O’Toole - engineer

recorded September 21, 2019 at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY

mixed & mastered at Woodland Studio, Lake Oswego, OR

photography by Sibila Savage

cover art by Joaquin Spengemann

package design by Jamie Brunson

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Christopher Lee Newman - Robin's Egg Blue (June 23, 2021)

This is a 3 track record. The title track is a semi-composed free improvisation that was intended to be a Yak Strangler release. Rylan had approached me with the concept after coming across a robin's egg that had fallen from a tree and onto his brick patio. He showed me a picture, which I don't have, and we talked about how beautiful the blue color and how the imagery made me us feel. It was gorgeous, but also saddening. "Blue" is used to describe a particular melancholic feeling associated with music. This is present in blues, jazz, and other African Diasporic music. Robin's egg blue to us was meant to be representation this difficult-to-describe emotion through the lens of life in the southern Appalachian region of East Tennessee.

From this conversation, I went home and opened the window of my then townhouse to listen to the urban-Appalachian sounds that heard. I heard nature: cicadas, dogs, and birds. However, I also heard tires on pavement, distant car horns and the hum of streetlights. As I contemplated urban-Appalachia, I think of beautiful nature scenes, but also dilapidated buildings and potholes. I think of groundbreaking laboratories and ivory towers, but also a devastating opioid epidemic and an ever-growing homeless population. 

I think of loving families, acceptance, and joy, but I also see loneliness, sorrow, and suffering. It's been a year since Rylan succumbed to his depression. He never got around to writing his drum parts to "robin's egg blue," I've thought about this concept for a while, and as I approach the anniversary of his passing, I was inspired to improvise two other pieces with the same emotions in mind. I hope you find these songs intriguing, beautiful, or at the very least, weird. 

1. robins egg blue 05:54

2. k0pRh3@d 04:40

3. rediscovery 06:15

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Dusan Jevtovic / Vasil Hadzimanov DUO (June 2021)

The inspired pairing of guitarist Dusan Jevtovic and pianist Vasil Hadzimanov. Think ECM record label vibe filtered through Radiohead played at an intimate after-hours jazz venue and you’ll catch the vibe.

Vasil’s beautiful arpeggiated piano serves as delicate counterpoint to Dusan’s raw textured playing.

As with the very best instrumental music, there is a lot of careful listening, creative comping, and building off the other players’ energy, resulting in a music that is at once confident, inspired and original.

1. Searching For New 06:01

2. Olas de Anhelo 06:10

3. Coming Back From Yesterday 04:36

4. El Raval 05:04

5. Space Salchicha 05:34

6. Carried By The Wind 04:16

7. Mente Pura 04:46

8. Third Second Step 04:25

9. Gipsy 05:09

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Lex Korten - Foreword (June 2021)

Foreword (or Foreword: Live in Concert) is my simple self introduction to the world as a pianist. For who I am now, there is only one format that would preserve the integrity and clarity of that introductory statement - live concert recordings. No second takes, no second guessing, no fixed mistakes or sterile calculations. These songs are a tapestry of moments in my life that I wanted to revisit on behalf of my listeners. Thank you for listening - Lex

Midnight Silence - Kenny Kirkland

Punjab - Joe Henderson

Zingaro - Antonio Carlos Jobim

No. 3 - Lawrence Williams

Strange Meadow Lark - Dave Brubeck

Work - Thelonious Monk

Compulsion - Harold Land

On a Turquoise Cloud - Duke Ellington

Dance of the Infidels - Bud Powell

Diana - Wayne Shorter

Nice Pass - Brad Mehldau

Lex Korten, piano

Recorded by UNISA in January 2020 at the 14th UNISA International Piano Competition under the direction of Karendra Devroop

Piano tuned and maintained by Tshepiso Ledwaba

Mastered by Richard Price, Candlewood Digital

Produced by Lex Korten and Jerry Korten

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Angel Bat Dawid - Hush Harbor Mixtape Vol. 1 Doxology (June 2021 International Anthem)

1. Corn=Rowzz 04:11

2. Negro Hamlet 01:53

3. Sunday Meeting of Colored People in Chicago 04:10

4. 'Goree, ' or Slave - Stick 02:12

5. Heathen Practices At Funerals 05:56

6. Black Family, Beaufort, South Carolina, 1862 03:10

7. Jumping the Broom 06:33

8. El Quitrin - The Joy of Livin 02:21

9. Mama Bet 03:59

10. A Young Negress, Studying The Game Of Ouri 03:31

11. Husband Of The Queen Of Walo, Wolof 03:17

12. Negroes Leaving Their Home 03:43

All instruments, vocalz, and synths performed, produced, recorded, arranged & mixed By Angel Bat Dawid.

Mastered By Najee-Zaid Searcy.

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Dewa Budjana - Naurora (June 2021 MoonJune Records)

Naurora is undoubtedly Dewa Budjana's most ambitious work yet. Progressive, fresh, engaging, technically brilliant. Budjana’s tunes consistently clasp his listeners in a drape of gorgeous melodies, showpiece guitar parts and astounding ensemble passages that have a spacious air. Naurora, has is an exhilarating mix of styles, it delivers a succession of memorable motifs. It melds East Asian music with progressive jazz fusion and some occasional elements of rock, but most of all it delivers an idiosyncratic sound that is instantaneously identifiable as Dewa Budjana’s own.

1. Naurora 11:03

2. Swarna Jingga 06:51

3. Kmalasana 07:05

4. Sabana Shanti 07:50

5. Blue Mansion 07:48

DEWA BUDJANA - guitars, soundscapes

with

BEN WILLIAMS - upright bass (Sabana Shanti)

CARLITOS DEL PUERTO - bass guitar & upright bass (Naurora, Kmalasana, Blue Mansion)

DAVE WECKL - drums (Swarna Jingga, Sabana Shanti)

GARY HUSBAND - piano, synth (Blue Mansion)

IMEE OOI - vocals (Naurora)

JIMMY JOHNSON - bass guitar (Swarna Jingga)

JOEY ALEXANDER - acoustic piano (Naurora, Sabana Shanti)

MATEUS ASATO - guitar intro & guitar solo (Swarna Jingga)

PAUL MCCANDLESS - soprano sax (Sabana Shanti)

SIMON PHILLIPS - drums (Naurora, Kmalasana, Blue Mansion)

Naurora was recorded remotely during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

All recordings were done by featured musicians, except:

Simon Phillips' tracks were recorded by Jason Mariani at Carbonite Sound, Ojai, CA, USA.

Paul McCandless' track was recorded by Dan Feiszli at What’s For Lunch Studio, San Fransisco, CA, USA.

Joey Alexander's tracks were recorded by Raymundus Dimas Daniswara at iCanStudioLive Jakarta, Indonesia.

All songs are composed, arranged, produced and edited by Dewa Budjana at Temple Island Studio, Jakarta.

Executive Producers: Dani Rahadian & Willawati for Mehsada.

Mixed & Mastered by Rich Breen at Dogmatic Sound, Burbank, CA, USA.

Photo Cover by Tompi. N Studio & Carly Bloom Team (Nesha Aurea Hanzdima Chritine Yuniarti)

Artwork by Aga Dilaga, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Dewa Budjana exclusively uses Kiesel guitars, D’Addario Strings, Palmer Musical Instruments.

Jopey Alexander appears courtesy of Verve Records.

International album release executive producer by Leonardo Pavkovic for MoonJune Records.

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Tom Aldrich - Solo Piano 2 (June 26, 2021)

The first thing I wanted to do was just to improvise... [Princes] was so composed and there was a lot of formal processes going on, a lot of really intense intellectual thought going into it... so I just needed a relief from that, and trying to get back to direct creativity, sort of unmediated. ...There’s no edits in any of the tracks, so it’s just like, as I played, and the improvs were completely unplanned.

When I started to get into doing the playing, I started to think about, what is this form of solo piano that I’m doing? There must be some precedent for this... what’s in my subconscious that’s affecting how this is going down? So I started to think about people who influenced me, specifically who did solo piano records. ...I was sort of confronting all those influences and getting into what makes them work. ... and then just thinking about how you spontaneously make a composition... because like it or not... you’re gonna have a beginning and an end.

When you’re doing it, sometimes you think, oh, this idea is lame, why am I sticking on this? And then you listen back, and you’re like oh, I really could have gone farther with that, that was really suggesting something. So it opened my eyes a lot to being open to just letting ideas develop.”

-Tom Aldrich, "The Peter Paluska Show"(WBOR), February 25, 2017

1. Respirations 04:23

2. Three of Spades 05:24

3. Ace of Hearts 08:23

4. Ace of Clubs 03:52

5. Two of Clubs 07:48

6. Bar Island Picnic (Pea Soup) 03:19

7. Six of Spades 04:33

8. Two of Diamonds 08:00

Tom Aldrich, piano

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Peter Brötzmann / Peeter Uuskyla - BORN BROKE complete + (June 2021)

1. Born Broke 21:45

2. Beautiful But Stupid 13:33

3. Ain´t Got The Money 22:29

4. Dead And Useless 38:24

5. Welcome to a Concert at Nefertiti 2nd September 2006 00:22

6. Concert at Nefertiti part one 27:05

7. 2nd part at Nefertiti 10:37

8. 3rd part at Nefertiti 11:04

9. Final part of the concert at Nefertiti September 2, 2006 16:01

10. Dead And Useless LP side A 19:09

11. Dead And Useless LP side B 18:18

12. Born Broke EP part 1 10:54

13. Born Broke EP part 2 10:55

14. Born Broke promo-demo-teaser (excerpt) 06:54

Tenor sax, clarinet, alto sax (track 6), cover art: Peter Brötzmann

Drums and album producer: Peeter Uuskyla

Engineer at Bohus Sound Recording: Dragan Tanaskovic

Recorded September 9, 2006 at Bohus Sound Recording, Sweden.

Originally released 2008 by Atavistic, USA as the 2CD-album Born Broke 2008 and the longest track "Dead and Useless" was released on 12" vinyl by Omlott, Sweden 2014.

+ The first tour ever with this Brötzmann/Uuskyla sax and drum duo was happening the week prior the studio recording date. An audience DAT-walkman recorder captured the concert at the Nefertiti jazzclub in Gothenburg on September 2, 2006. On track 5-9 you hear the first sketches of what was to become the musical statement titled Born Broke a week later.

PETER BRÖTZMANN asked me to write some notes about me walking the quite hard and dirty road of musicmaking. The liferoad of the one life you have. Been fighting all the time for playing untouchable sounds of simple music, my definition of beauty. Untouchable, therefore powerful. Simple, therefore universal, for everyone. Music that belongs to everybody. Take it or leave it, but you are not able to keep it only for yourself. That´s the strength. Sometimes the struggle is too hard and you just have enough of the terrible conditions around the playing. The lowbudget touring, the stupidity, the curators, the organizers, the ones with power to decide who plays where and what.

Geniusgrants killing natural musicmaking because of simple music being just to simple, not being complex and confusing enough. To illustrate bigheaded nonsense with living music makes you fall into a trap where pure joyful musicmaking is forbidden although sold as free jazz, freely improvised, spontaneous, creative music! This is the situation you have to deal with. Days of solidarity and bands kept together are long gone. Replaced by common egopower and loneliness among millions of lonely people in the big cities. You are also alone when making your musical statement. Alone together but still basically alone. Got to be strong to face that kind of reality. My eternal Sisyphusical circle is playing music for the strength to keep going.

Nobody tells me anymore what and whom to play with. Not even Peter Brötzmann. He anyway never has. I have always liked his way of making music with his beautiful, deep, total sounding horn. No rehearsals, instead you have to bring yourself together, prepare, get ready, concentrate, pay attention and when time comes take off. That´s the way this music is made. Dragan Tanaskovic recorded the small drumkit and the saxophone with his old tube microphones in his large studioroom. 

Quite a comfortable recording situation. No amplification, not even monitorspeakers or headphones needed for this duo. The punch and the scream, the foundation of natural musicmaking! Living in this complicated, complex and confused society it is most important to make clear and honest statements. PEETER UUSKYLA

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Raffy Bushman - Beginner's Mind (2021)

London-based composer and pianist Raffy Bushman explains his new found relationship with mindfulness and meditation and how it has influenced his EP 'Beginner's Mind'.

1. Darkness ABA 04:16

2. Bitter Suite 05:46

3. Distraction 05:25

4. Abraham 04:16

5. Beginner's Mind 04:00

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Ikue Mori / Brian Marsellav / Sae Hashimoto - Archipelago X (2021 Tzadik)

Laptop wizard Ikue Mori, master keyboardist Brian Marsella and classical percussion virtuoso Sae Hashimoto are Archipelago X, a dynamic new trio born during the 2020 pandemic. Recording at their home studios and exchanging tracks back and forth for months, the music is detailed, evocative and dramatically mysterious, blending electronica, classical, ambient, film soundtrack, pop and jazz into a remarkably original aggregate. Inspiring and engaging music by this fabulous trio of Downtown musical masters spanning three generations!

1. Turning Back

2. Warped Passage

3. Satellites are Spinning

4. Challenger Deep

5. Wicked

6. Lapis Lazuli

7. Pale Blue Dot

8. Through the Mist

Brian Marsella: Steinway B Piano, Fender Rhodes, Mellotron M4000d, Sequential Circuits Ob-6, Korg Bx-3, Zither, Hohner E7 Clavinet, Hohner String Ensemble, Arturia Analog Lab

Ikue Mori: Laptop Electronics

Sae Hashimoto: Vibraphone, Marimba, Ratchet, Udu, Cajon, Cymbals, Waterphone, Snare Drum, Finger Cymbals, Gongs, Straw Brush, Crotales, Bass Drum, Frame Drum, Opera Gongs, Caxixi, Pod Shaker, Pitched Gongs, Wind Gong, Balafon, Ankle Bells, Woodblock, Maracas, Concert Toms, Bamboo Chimes, Bongos, Bells, Bullet Chimes, Sleigh Bells, Glass Chimes, Tambourine, Zither, Bottle Cap Shaker

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John Zorn - Chaos Magick (2021 Tzadik)

Chaos Magick is a contemporary magical practice based on the ideas of Austin Osman Spare. Remarkably inclusive, it embraces and has influenced the work of William Burroughs, Robert Anton Wilson, Aleister Crowley and many others. Inspired by these magical practices, Zorn enlists the three members of his most powerful 21st century ensemble Simulacrum with special guest Brian Marsella on electric piano into this eclectic new quartet Chaos Magick. A fast moving, improvi-sational and intensely focused ensemble that draws upon classical, jazz, funk, improvisation, metal and more. This music is even crazier than Electric Masada—a must for all fans of the outer realms!

1. The Initiate

2. Corinthians I

3. The Servitor

4. St Augustine

5. Egregore

6. Crossing the Abyss

7. Liber M

8. Imp of the Perverse

9. Corinthians II

10. Nothing is true--everything is permitted

Brian Marsella: Electric Piano

John Medeski: Organ

Kenny Grohowski: Drums, Percussion, Congas

Matt Hollenberg: Electric Guitar

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John Zorn - Teresa De Avila (2021 Tzadik)

Preceded by "Nove Cantici per Francesco d’Assis"” and "Virtue (for Julian of Norwich)", "Teresa de Avila" is the third and final CD in Zorn’s trilogy inspired by towering figures of Christian mysticism. Written for the all-star acoustic guitar trio of Bill Frisell, Julian Lage and Gyan Riley whose performances are steeped in a feeling of love and mutual respect, the music is both beautifully simple and strangely complex, drawing equally on classical modernism, bluegrass, jazz, Jewish and renaissance music. Filled with compositional surprises, mysterious moods, beautiful harmonies and a stunning lyricism, Teresa de Ávila is a must-have for all fans of acoustic guitar music. This is one of the most personal and varied books of music Zorn has yet written—a lovely tribute to the enduring legacy of one of the world’s most beloved spiritual figures. Includes an extended appreciation by renown philosopher Arnold Davidson.

1. Devotion

2. El Castillo Interior

3. A Blessing of Tears

4. Danza Estatica

5. An Embarrassment of Raptures

6. Teresa

7. El Camino

8. The Sweetness of this Excessive Pain

9. Marrano

10. Levitations

Bill Frisell: Guitar

Gyan Riley: Guitar

Julian Lage: Guitar

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John Zorn - Heaven and Earth Magick (2021 Tzadik)

Heaven and Earth Magick showcases Zorn’s fabulous and compelling blending of classical virtuosic instrumental writing with the improvisational world of Jazz. Completely notated works for piano and vibraphone brilliantly performed by Steve Gosling and Sae Hashimoto are set against a dynamic improvisational rhythm section of Jorge Roeder and Ches Smith. An exciting new musical world filled with an exhilarating sense of drama and a mischievous wit. Zorn’s unique mastery of instrumental writing and wild improvisational conducting skills are here in all their thorny complexity. Essential!

1. Auto-Da-Fé  7:59 

2. Acéphale  10:36 

3. Asclemandres  8:14 

4. Descent Into The Maelstrom  8:26 

5. Konx Om Pax  10:05 

6. Casting The Runes  9:07

Jorge Roeder - Bass

Ches Smith - Drums

Stephen Gosling - Piano

Sae Hashimoto - Vibraphone

All music composed, arranged and conducted by John Zorn 

Produced by John Zorn 

Associate Producer - Kazunori Sugiyama 

Recorded and mixed September to October, 2020 by Ryan Streber at Oktaven Audio, Mount Vernon, NY 

Mastering - Scott Hull 

John Zorn Portraits – Scott Irvine

Design - Chippy (Heung Heung Chin)

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Mike LeDonne's The Groover Quartet + Big Band - It's All Your Fault (2021 HighNote Records)

Mike LeDonne belongs to an elite group of musicians — those who have mastered the piano AND the organ while creating original voices for each. However, here on It's All Your Fault, LeDonne sits down at the organ, puts his foot on the pedals and lays down some of the hippest organ licks you're likely to hear. Two groups are featured on this recording. Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet has had the rare opportunity to play and record together for twenty years and counting. They had no difficulty integrating their sound into this all-star big band put together by Mike and his preferred arranger and conductor, Dennis Mackrel. Recorded in the famed Van Gelder Studio and actually using the original Hammond C-3 organ that Jimmy Smith et al. used for their recordings, the music within this recording is adventurous. It's a continuation of the groove that was established years ago by organists interacting with big bands and it reveals to us the Blues, the Rhythm & Blues and the Jazz that Mike heard coming up through the jazz ranks.

1. It's All Your Fault (M. LeDonne) 6:35

2. Matador (G. Green) 6:46

3. Rock With You (R. Temperton / D. Myers) 6:11

4. Still (L. Richie) 6:55

5. Party Time (L. Morgan) 5:34

6. Bags and Brown (M. LeDonne) 5:17

7. Biggest Part of Me (D. Pack) 6:20

8. Blues for Jed (M. LeDonne) 7:53

Mike LeDonne’s Big Band (Tracks: 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6):

Organ: Mike LeDonne (org)

Steve Wilson, Jim Snidero (as)

Eric Alexander, Scott Robinson (ts)

Jason Marshall (bs)

Jon Faddis, Frank Greene, Joe Magnarelli, Joshua Bruneau (tp)

Mark Patterson, Steve Davis, Dion Tucker, Doug Purviance (tb)

John Webber (b)

Peter Bernstein (g)

Joe Farnsworth (ds)

Mike LeDonne’s Groover Quartet (Tracks: 4, 7 & 8):

Mike LeDonne (org)

Eric Alexander (ts)

Peter Bernstein (g)

Joe Farnsworth (ds)

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George Cables - Too Close for Comfort (2021 HighNote Records)

George Cables should be declared a National Treasure. As a pianist he is surely second-to-none on today's jazz scene. Listen only to “A Valentine for You” on Cables' current offering to hear what a jaw-dropping beauty of tone he can produce from the pile of wood and metal we call a piano, and how much critical mass is behind every sonorous voicing of his chords. As a musician he possesses endless imagination and creativity, shown by his strikingly new takes on tunes we thought we knew, particularly the title track, “Too Close for Comfort,” which retains little trace of its pop song origin. As a composer he has quietly amassed a catalog of works of extremely wide range and extraordinary quality, such as his compositions on this new release, “Circle of Love,” “This is My Song,” “Klimo” and the aforementioned “A Valentine for You.” And finally, the album’s cover photo perfectly captures George Cables the man – full of boundless energy, a love of his instrument and the music he makes on it and an impish sense of humor, evidenced by his titling the record Too Close for Comfort during a pandemic where social distancing has become the order of the day. The artist Edward Hopper said, “Great art is the outward expression of an inner life of the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision of the world.” That would explain why the world according to George Cables is such a wonderful place to be.

1. Too Close For Comfort

2. Circle of Love

3. This Is My Song

4. Klimo

5. For All We Know

6. Crazy Love

7. Roses Poses

8. I’ve Never Been In Love Before

9. Teddy

10. A Valentine For You

George Cables – piano

Essiet Essiet – bass (except tracks 6 & 10)

Victor Lewis – drums (except tracks 5 & 10)

Produced by George Cables

Associate Producer: Joanne Klein

Engineered, mixed and mastered by Katherine Miller

Recorded at Sear Sound, New York, NY on September 9, 2020

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Simone Graziano - Embracing The Future (June 2021 Auand Records)

Embracing The Future was supposed to be a different album. After three days in the studio with a beautiful Steinway & Sons, and after recording around two hours of solo music, Simone Graziano had a bizarre idea when going back home – he opened the piano cover, threw his mobile phone in, pressed Rec, and closed everything. It was the first day of the second Italian lockdown. The recorded sound reminded me of something like a piano with a gothic church echo, which intensified the final part of the sound, almost cutting off the attack. He immediately fell in love with it. There was no other sound he wanted to listen to.

This is why Embracing the future has a special sound – an emotional one. All tracks are originals – except for Billie Eilish “When The Party’s Over” – and refer to different genres: electronic, classical, and improvised music.

Simone Graziano recalls: “I’ve spent around 36 years with an instrument that always had the same sound. I could try a different model or size, or be in a different room, but the sound was always the same, more or less. Knowing exactly what was under my fingers and what reaction my playing could generate allowed me to feel calm, it was like an unchanging sense of safety – pianos, no matter the type, will always sound like that.

That uncanny sound, so different from everything I’ve ever heard before, pushed me to delve deeper, and go beyond the black and white fence of my keyboard. I started to put almost everything on the piano strings – cigarette filters, erasers, toilet paper rolls entirely decorated by my daughter. What still drives me crazy is that sense of uncertainty you feel when a sound that you considered unalterable actually changes completely by simply adding an object on it.

This sense of uncertainty reflects what I feel today about our new normal – we are forced to rethink everything we took for granted. By reflecting on our conditions, we discover new ways of connecting with the world, just like by putting a cigarette filter inside my piano I discover a new way of thinking that big black piece of furniture. I’ve posted most of my experiments to my Instagram account (hashtag #fragmentadallockdown) on a daily basis for almost two months”.

Embracing the future has been entirely home-recorded by Simone Graziano on his Yamaha C3 piano, which has been 100% modified to enhance its darkest timber. Another remarkable decision is related to the recording tools: two “omni” mics placed inside the keyboard, almost touching the hammers. As an effect, the listeners feel like their head is inside the instrument, perceiving every detail, from releasing the key, to the phalanx touching the keyboard, to the creak of the piano bench, to the sound of the pedal being pressed.

The entire work has been skillfully mixed by Francesco Ponticelli at Cicaleto Recording Studio and mastered by Stefano Bechini. Embracing The Future is Simone Graziano first piano solo album, as well as his seventh as a leader, after the Frontal quintet trilogy (Frontal, Trentacinque, Sexuality), two trio albums (Lightwalls, Snailspace), and one sextet album with Purple Whales. 

1. When The Party's Over 04:31

2. Damn Spring 02:47

3. Dora Et Les Adieux 02:54

4. Embracing The Future 01:59

5. Tancredi 02:17

6. Nihilo 03:10

7. We Will Hug Again 04:19

8. Always Whispering 03:49

9. Brahms Tears 06:15

10. Stars Behind Me 02:33

Simone Graziano - piano

All songs by Simone Graziano (published by Jazz Engine ed. mus.) except #1 by Finneas O'Connell

Recorded at Casa Graziano on October 2020 – February 2021 by Simone Graziano

Mixed at Cicaleto Recording Studio, Arezzo, Italy on March 2021 by Francesco Ponticelli

Mastered at Green Brain, Piancastagnaio (SI), Italy on April 2021 by Stefano Bechini

produced by Simone Graziano & Marco Valente

executive producer: Marco Valente

cover and inner photos by Caterina Di Perri

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Tim Kobza - Montecito Heights (June 2021)

Tim Kobza is a Los Angeles based guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer, who writes and records music with attitude, movement, and authenticity inspired by an extensive career playing jazz, funk, latin, soul, R&B and improvised music.

Born in Omaha he made his way to Denton Texas to study Jazz Guitar Performance at the acclaimed North Texas State University. Living in Dallas after college he embarked on an international touring and recording career that began while playing with Carlos Guedes and Desvio. This was followed by working for several years as a sideman with Jazz artist Joe McBride.

The West Coast beckoned, Tim was offered a full scholarship and relocated to the west coast to pursue a Masters Degree in Studio-Guitar Performance at USC’s Thornton School Of Music.

His touring and recording continued with R&B artist Jon B., Jack Herrera, Debbie Gibson, James Torme, Francis Yip (China) Lee Seung Hwan (South Korea) to name a few.

Tim formed Modereko, a band he co-founded with drummer John Molo The band was signed to Verve records Blue Thumb imprint under the tutelage of Tommy LiPuma, ultimately recording 2 albums (a self-titled album and the 2nd release Solar Igniter) the group toured for several years.

“Much of this project came together during covid, the pause from live music allowed for creativity and collaboration on a different level, constructed from virtually assembled performances from some of my most formidable and admired musicians/friends, I am so grateful for their contributions”.

Though mostly instrumental, this project has one Bossa Nova inspired vocal track, ‘The Song That Is In Your Heart ‘ is a collaboration with singer extraordinaire Amanda Achen.

Other featured players on this project include Wayne Bergeron and John Dearth (Trumpet), Arlan Schierbaum (Keys), Matt Wallace (Sax and EWI), Wes Smith (Saxes), Jake Reed and Herman Matthews (Drums).

Tim’s passion for all things music, flows into his teaching at USC’s Thornton school of music where his professorship in the Guitar and Popular Music departments has been practiced for over 2 decades. 

1) Tranquilo

Drums - Herman Matthews

Keys- Brian Hargrove

Mix -Joey Messina- Doerning

2) Jungly Vibes

Drums -Jake Reed

Matt Wallace- Flute, EWI, Tenor Saxophone, Shaker, Tambourine.

Jim Schweigert- Trumpet Solo

Mix-Jon Hegg

additional Engineering Omaha location- Greg Ahl

3) Cafe Cantante

Drums- Jake Reed

Saxophones and Flutes -Wes Smith

Keys, Rhodes, Mellotron- Kait Dutton

Mix -Joey Messina Doerning

4) The Song That Is In Your Heart

Lyrics and Vocals -Amanda Achen

Trumpet-Wayne Bergeron

Drums- Aaron Serfaty

Keys-Barb Catlin

Mix-Martin Walters

5) Oh Well Funk it

Drums -Jake Reed

Bass- Andrew Hill

Saxophones and Flutes -Wes Smith

Mix- Tim Kobza

6) La Vida Mysteriosa

Drums- Jake Reed

Keyboards- Arlan Oscar

Mix- Tim Kobza

7) Note Poetry

Drums -Jake Reed

Keys- Kait Dutton

Mix -Joey Messina Doerning

8) Lockdown Fatigue

Drums -Jake Reed

Keys- Kait Dutton

9) Fluffy

Drums -Jake Reed

Guitar Synth -Tim Kobza

Mix -Joey Messina Doerning

10) Retro Fusionista

Drums -Jake Reed

Keys- Kait Dutton

Mix -Martin walters

11) Identity Meditation

Drums -Jake Reed

Mix- Tim Kobza

12) Beats 93

Drums-Herman Matthews

Keys- Brian Hargrove

Mix -Joey Messina Doerning

13) Slow Your Roll

Tenor saxophone, EWI, Shaker, Tambourine, Flute, Claves, First Tenor solo- Matt Wallace

2nd Tenor solo -Cole Palensky

Trumpet textures -Michael Campanelli

Harmon mute Trumpet- John D’earth

Additional keyboards, mixing engineer- Jon Hegg

Additional Omaha location Engineer -Greg Ahl

Written and produced by Tim Kobza

Tim Kobza: All guitars, Bass , programming

Mastered by Larry Goetz, The Lair Recording Studio

Album artwork Design -Derik Nelson

Photo- Tim Kobza

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Tim Berne - 7x (June 2021 Screwgun Records)

1. Chang 06:55

2. The Water People (For Brian Horner) 08:45

3. 7x 09:43

4. Flies 07:17

5. A Pearl In The Oliver C. 04:15

6. Showtime (For Don And Thelma Cline) 12:07

Tim Berne: Alto Saxophone on all selections

Alex Cline: Percussion on Chang, Water People, Flies and Showtime

Nels Cline: Electric 6-String Guitar on Chang, 7X and Showtime Electric 12-String Guitar and Hawaiian Steel Guitar on Water People

Vinny Golia: Baritone Saxophone on Chang, 7X, Flies, Pearl and Showtime Flute, Bassoon and Khene on Water People

Roberto Miranda: Bass on all selections

John Rapson: Trombone on Flies, Water People and Showtime

All Compositions Tim Berne Party Music BMI

℗©1980 EPC 36K

Recorded at Intermix Studio in Los Angeles, January 8, 1980 Special thanks to Michael Preussner for the wonderful gong Recording equipment supplied by Recording Services Co., Studio City

Recording Engineer: Bruce Bidlack Mastered by Bob Ludwig, Masterdisk Album Cover Design by Kikuchi-Oji Design, Inc., New York Front Cover Photography: Alan Kikuchi

Executive Producers: Gary Halvorson and Big Al Produced by Brian Horner, Alex and Nels Cline and Tim Berne

Back Cover Photos: Harry Zeitlin

Printed in The USA

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Gregg Belisle-Chi / Koi: Performing the music of Tim Berne (June 2021 Screwgun Records)

From Gregg Belisle-chi: "KOI is very near and dear to me. Tim Berne has long been a hero of mine and, upon moving to New York, was one of my bucket list collaborators. I'm elated to be releasing this record of his music, produced by him and David Torn (who also mixed and mastered it beautifully.)

This record is a brand new endeavor for me: a collection of solo acoustic guitar renditions of his masterful compositions. I remember hearing "forage," Matt Mitchell's breathtaking solo piano record of Tim's music, in 2017 and thinking to myself "Goddam, wouldn't it be amazing if a guitar player did this too?" I didn't expect that guitarist to be me, but with Tim's blessing and guidance, we were able to make it happen...and I think it turned out extremely well.

All in all, this record is a dream come true: collaborating with Tim, having a recording enhanced by David Torn, album art designed by the one and only Steve Byram."

What more could I ask for?

Your support! Buy a CD or two! Share the Bandcamp page with your friends. I'd love for as many people to hear this record as possible. I'm so proud.

I hope you enjoy the journey of listening as much as I enjoyed the journey of playing.

Yours,

Gregg Belisle-Chi

New York, 2021 

1. Chance 05:51

2. Three Whisky Exception 03:58

3. Trauma One 04:56

4. Giant Squids 03:42

5. Huh:Brokelyn 06:35

6. Middle Seat Blues 03:16

7. Huevos 04:01

8. Reception 05:31

9. Starfish Blues 03:50

10. Sequins 02:32

Gregg Belisle-Chi Acoustic Guitar

Recorded at Westwing Studios, Kingston NY, December 2020

Mixed and mastered by David Torn

Produced by Tim Berne and David Torn

Art & designs / Steve Byram, Photography by Tim Berne

Executive - Kevin Reilly

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Loren Stillman - Live @ Loft (June 2021)

1. Wade - Skin 25:10

2. Verse 09:38

3. Bad Touch 11:54

Loren Stillman, saxophone

Gary Versace, organ

Nate Radley, guitar

Ted Poor, drums

Recorded Live @ Loft, Köln, DE 2015

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